Saturday, June 1, 2013

A Telling Dream

The following is a dream I had three times over Memorial Day weekend. It is as it will appear in the next issue of the Hand of Help newsletter. It was a sobering dream in many ways.


Dear Brethren,

Over Memorial Day weekend I was scheduled to speak in Lake Havasu Arizona. Since Las Vegas was the closest major airport and by far the cheapest ticket, Gene and I flew there having planned to spend the first night upon our arrival somewhere in the area, then make the drive to the meeting the next day.

After a four hour flight, some misunderstandings with the car rental agent, and a couple hours to get acclimated to the heat, we checked into our room without further incident.

That night I had a dream.

I dreamt I was standing beside a path leading into a forest, and although snow blanketed the ground, the path was still visible, clear, and well defined. Although I wasn’t cold in my dream, I could seem my breath and as I looked around trying to understand what I was seeing and why I was seeing it a beautiful buck made its way up the path toward me.

Although I can’t say I’ve seen many bucks up close this seemed like a fine specimen, regal in its bearing, almost prancing up the path with its head held high.

I stood beside the path unmoving, not wanting to spook the animal in any way. If it saw me it did not let it show as it passed by and continued trotting down the path.

I continued to watch it follow the path toward the forest until suddenly it veered off and began to make its way through the packed snow. Although its pace slowed and it was having a difficult time making headway once it veered off the path, the buck seemed stubborn in its insistence, and though progress was slow, it continued its march.

I started to look around for something else, not really understanding what I was seeing or why I was seeing it when a sharp crack drew my attention back to the buck. Although the animal was a good distance from me, I could see what had happened with great clarity.

The buck had stepped into a hole which had been masked by the snow, and had snapped its front left leg.

I didn’t know what else to do, so I just stood and watched as it forced itself up, and though evidently in great pain, it began to continue on its journey away from the path.

Its progress was slow, and I could hear the echoes of its bleating, but wounded as it was the animal was insistent in its purpose.

After some time the buck stopped suddenly and began to sniff at the air. An instant later the mournful sound of howling wolves reached my ears, and I understood what the buck had smelled.

With renewed vigor the buck tried to run, but hampered by its wound, its progress was slow.

I was so focused on the buck that at first I did not acknowledge the movement in my peripheral vision, but as they drew closer I shifted my focus and I could see the source of the howls approaching swiftly. At first it was one wolf, then two, then five, then an entire pack, all in a semi-circle chasing down the wounded buck as it tried to flee.

I was anxious to see what would happen, I strained to see every detail, but as the wolf pack drew closer and closer to the buck, I woke up.

Troubled by the dream I’d had, I prayed a prayer and tried to go back to sleep but no sleep would come.

The next morning we made our way to Lake Havasu, and after having our evening meeting, and a late night dinner, I went to sleep only to dream the exact same dream again. Everything was the same, from the path and the snow, to the buck and its broken leg, to the howls and the wolves, and to waking up fully alert just as the wolves were closing in on the buck.

Once again I prayed and tried to go back to sleep, and once again sleep would not come.

The next morning we had church, then drove a couple hours to a place called Aguila Arizona where we had some wonderful fellowship, then drove back to Las Vegas where we would catch our flight home the next morning.

It was already past midnight when we got in, and having preached twice and driven for about seven hours that day, I was as exhausted as a man can get.

I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow, and once again the same dream began to play out. Just as the wolves were ready to attack and take down the buck I was awoken by a loud noise coming from the pullout sofa in the room. It was Gene. He was snoring.

I was halfway to throwing a pillow at Gene and telling him to roll over, when I saw the man standing at the foot of the bed, arms crossed over his chest, and a half smile on his face.

‘Ask your question,’ he said.

‘Why can’t I see what happens? Why can’t I see the end of the dream?’ I asked.

‘Because it is inconsequential,’ he answered.

‘The instant the animal wandered off the path and wounded itself, its end was a certain and foregone conclusion. It matters not which wolf fells it. Once it is felled, they will all feast. The same can be said of this nation with one exception. The animal had no one to help it, this nation rejected the help offered it believing it could heal its own self of the wounds it had inflicted upon itself. The wolves have gathered. They sense the weakness, they smell the blood, and they are confident in the outcome of their endeavor.’

In an instant the man was gone, and I found myself standing halfway out of bed with a pillow in my hand pondering what I had just heard.

We reject repentance at our own peril. We reject righteousness, sanctification and the pursuit of holiness to our own detriment. Though there is safety on the narrow path we’ve taken it upon ourselves to blaze our own trail, indifferent to the untold perils and dangers awaiting those who stray.

I wish with all my heart I could write happy things in my letter to you today, I wish I could tell you the sun will come out tomorrow and the storm clouds will pass, but our refusal to accept God’s help, our refusal to submit and humble ourselves before Him only hastens judgment.

The wolves have gathered, the hunt begins, and this weakened nation is the prey.

I will now repeat what I preached on during one of the aforementioned meetings because I believe it is relevant, timely, and apropos. The level of your relationship with Christ today, will determine whether you stand or fall by the wayside tomorrow. Know that you are resting in Him, know that you draw your strength from Him, and know that you have placed your hope and trust in Him.

On Christ the solid rock we stand, for truly, all other ground is sinking sand.

Psalm 124:6-8, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not given us as prey to their teeth. Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken and we have escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”

 

With love in Christ,

Michael Boldea Jr.

15 comments:

marshall warren said...

This winter I had a revelation similar to your dream. In mine I was walking along a jungle trail. ("The narrow path") There were others with me and from time to time one would leave the trail and start cutting his (her) way through the bush. They believed they had been shown a different (spelled easier) way to the narrow gate. More and more people did the same thing until only a few of us were left.
No amount of scriptural pleading would dissuade them.
The time of the great "falling away" is well advanced. The lines are long for those waiting for the "mark." There will be no Church saving revival! No great moral awakening! The spiritual collapse of the world is at hand and the time of the "apostate church" is upon us. So stand firm in your faith, brothers and sisters, and watch our LORD work! He will pour out His Mighty Spirit on His saints and give us the power to persevere until the end.

Marshall

j said...

Mike,
Perfect word picture of what is happening in the United States.
We've thumbed our nose at God for too long and now I believe God is turning his back on the U.S.
Until we who say we our Christians get on our knees and repent of our sins and turn from our wicked ways the U.S will never get better.
Jeff

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing, Brother Michael. I don't want to make too much of this, but I had a sense you were going to be posting another dream here soon, so I wasn't even surprised when I saw this today. Those of us who are awake know the times we are living in and know what's coming. I've been watching people around me waking up and become more serious about their walk with the Lord, while others are walking away, distracted by other things. There is a clear separation I'm seeing. I shared this with my two prayer partners yesterday and one of them sat up, a startled look on her face and said "Yes, exactly! That's exactly what I'm noticing, too!" I believe the Holy Spirit is working in people, stirring up a sense of urgency, and a desire to go deeper. Those that are willing to listen, anyway. I've never seen anything like it. The difference between the awake, waking up and the falling asleep and slumbering is become more and more clear and obvious. Again, thanks for sharing, and for being obedient to the Lord.

Anonymous said...

Michael,

Bless you for sharing this most sobering dream. I take it very much to heart, and at this moment am convicted to search my own soul to see if there be any way in me displeasing to God. May we all, brothers and sisters, stay humble and dependent on Him, in whom we live and move and have our being.

Melanie

Anonymous said...

About six or so months ago I warned friends that had stopped going to church (they still consider themselves Christians) that I was worried about them and that I didn't know how they were going to make it with what was coming. I said it was like watching sheep smearing themselves with blood and bleating: "Here, wolvies, come get us!" They were greatly offended and have made no move to go back to church. They think they are "fine" because they are nice people. They are more than happy to have me pray for them, but show no interest in becoming people of prayer for themselves. I know they aren't going to make it and there's always a bit of a sadness for me when I spend time with them. They've gone off the path, chasing pleasure and ease, and are determined to go their own way.

Anonymous said...

First of all, it is such a blessing to me to see the Lord use you Michael in prophetic dreaming just as He did your grandfather (I just recently read his bio "Through the Fire Without Burning"). It is interesting I just read this after the Bing wallpage has the ancient Colosseum of Rome as its picture of the day and I was thinking of the persecuted believers were there and how we are so going through this around the world and one day soon in America. I was wondering if our sport stadiums would be used against believers in the future. Wow. More of a reason to draw even closer to Jesus and listen to Him, especially when He has to deal with me. May God bless you and your household abundantly.

Anonymous said...

Makes me think of The Pilgrim's Progress with Formalist and Hypocrisy who climbed over the wall trespassing onto the path. They did not enter in by the gate where they would have been welcomed and given instruction for the journey ahead and for life.

Though they had their way onto the path and traveled a ways with Pilgrim, they would not listen to wise council from him. Thus when they came to the hill of difficulty, they decided to detour to what they each individually thought to be a better path to get to the Celestial City. But it proved to be their destruction.

Thank you for sharing what the Lord has showed you.

Nila

Barbara said...

Who was the man at the foot of the bed, an angel? I was getting a different but mabye parallel idea of what the dream meant. I feel like it is saying one false move any more and you are finished. I feel like it is saying you had better look at your own life and the coldness that surrounds you and get yourself back on track.

There are many who call themselves Christians who are nothing but wolves in sheep's clothing. They flock in churches and Christian ministries and lay their little traps. Then once you are wounded, they will tear you down.

People who you take for granted as being godly are actually just hanging on until you are tripped up enough for them to fininsh you off.

If you are seen as a big and great and proud Christian in the world, you are going to be taken down. Most who are real Christians are spat on and rejected by the church. They are treated as the devil himself.

If you want to live, you have to stop veering off into the coldness and stuffiness and not trust in your strength and gracefulness.



People think it is hard to be a Christian in communist countries because you are very openly persectued. How about here where not even another Christian will give you credit for your faith? They will persecute you all the more and lie about you and do everything they can to see your ruin.

There is no safe place to be a real Christian. The only safety is on the right path.

meema said...

For sometime now I have heard, “get it or don’t” and I have interpreted that to mean the door is closing. Clearly the few, otherwise known as the Remnant, understand that a great divide has opened up and those with eyes to see and ears to hear are on high alert. Now I understand how Jeremiah felt. I have reached the place where I feel like weeping but I’m all wept out. Is this that moment that always comes known as the point of no return?

Anonymous said...

Disturbing dream indeed, since it really means that judgment is coming to America and there is no forestalling it; it is a done deal.
I'm guessing that the "snow" represents the trials/difficulties, both moral and physical, of our current age. Covering over the ground such that snares and pitfalls are invisible. Yet the True Path still remain quite clear and easy to see.

I am curious, tho, as to which wound the angel was referring that the U.S. was trying to heal on its own. Life in general? Economic hardship? The War on Terror? All of the above?

Unknown said...

So it will begin any time now...Though I remember another dream about three snakes and an eagle...I wonder its time for second snake to strike or for third already...
Let us pray that our faith will be strong enough in hard times ahead.

Anonymous said...

Wow.

Thank you for sharing this, Michael. I wanted to comment and say, specifically, that you sharing this has made me sit up and take notice of a dream I had night before last, that I had just shrugged over as strange. It had wolves in it, also, although it wasn't the same dream you had.

Thank you for the work you do, and for your faith and love in Christ. May He bless and keep you, and show you ever more how to draw closer and closer to Him. Much love in Christ . . . a sister in Christ. :o)

Anonymous said...

Thank-you brother for posting the dream. I believe everything the man said.
debbi rennier

Anonymous said...

Hi Michael,

Your dream came to my mind, when my hubby & I were traveling yesterday, when we saw a dead eagle along the side of the road. (Someone else must have spotted it first and was on their phone outside their vehicle on the side of the road.) Neither of us could remember ever seeing a DEAD eagle. My hubby guessed, "Maybe it was a sick eagle and died." It is special whenever I see an eagle at all, soaring higher and higher. But to think of a dead eagle was something that jolted me to seriously consider a symbolic message. I couldn't help but shudder to think, "Could this be a picture of America?"

Anonymous said...

Hi again Michael, Concerning the post on June 9 at 7:38 p.m. Oops - my husband corrected me - - It wasn't a DEAD eagle (that was my untrained observation) but a wounded eagle alongside the road. He said maybe it was a sick eagle, and I must have not listened and added my own perception. I apologize for posting without having the clear facts. Anyway, it still gives me the shivers if it is a symbolic image of what is happening to America.